Automobile signal



: Filed Jan. 10, 1928 Attorney Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROLLA G. HARBORD, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF T0 JAMES H. TRIMBLE, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

AUTOMOBILE SIGNAL.

Application filed ma 10, 1928. Serial No. 245,654,

My present invention relates to improvemerits in automobile signals of the type carried by the vehicle and operated for the purpose of indicating the movements of the automobile, such as a right or left turn, or for a stop. The signal is of the swinging type and is provided with means for illuminating it at night so that when it is displayed,.it will be illuminated to render it visible. The sig nal is normally carried in a cabinet or box, and means are provided for opening a door of the box before the signal is swung to displayed position, and means are provided whereby the signal may be locked in retracted position, and the lock released preparatory to operating the signal. Preferably, the signal is manually operated and may be swung to any one of several positions to the left side of thecar and, of course, the signal is under the control of the driver of the car.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one complete example of the physi cal embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combined and arranged according to the best mode I have so far devised .for the practical embodiment of my invention.

V Figure 1 is a perspective View at the front of a closed car or automobile with the signal arm displayed in position to indicate the stop position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional View of the box or housing with the door open, as at line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical section of the signal box, as at line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing parts in section of the door operating means.

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspective views showing the parts of the electric switch for illuminating the signal when the latter is displayed.

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view at line 7-7 of Fig. 3, showing the lock device.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the lock releasing knob, which is also used to turn the signal.

In order that the general arrangement and relation of parts may readily be shown, I have illustrated in Fig. 1 aportion of the closed car C and indicated one of the corner posts P. The signal box or casing 1 is attached at the front side of the post P, and it is provided with a side door 2 hinged at 3, so that the side door may be opened to permit display of the signal, which comprises a hollow hand t of translucent or transparent material which is illuminated by an interior lamp 5, from which the usual electric wires 6 lead. The hand a is rigidly attached at the outer end of a tubular arm 7 and if desired, this arm may be provided with acovering S to simulate a coat sleeve. upper end of the arm a crossbar 9 is rigidly attached, and this cross barencloses a sleeve 10 in which a. shaft 11 is carried, and said shaft is journalled in the post P of the car.

The shaft 10 is provided at its inner end with a hollow knob 12 which is readily accessible to the driver ofthe car. This knob is'designed to turn the shaft 11. but is longitudinallyslidable thereon, a stop flange 13- being provided on the shaft to prevent displacement of the hollow knob. A spring 14 is carried in a chamber in the end of the shaft and interposed between the inner wall of this chamber and a cap or cover plate 15, which is attached at the outer face of the knob. This spring tends to force the knob to outer position, as indicated in Fig. 8, and when it is desired to unlock or release the signal arm, it is necessary to push the knob on the end of the shaft 11. I H

The signal arm is locked by means of a latch 16 which is pivoted at 17 on a clamp ring 18 that is secured rigidly to the shaft 11. The latch has a lever end 19 against which a spring 20 bears and the slidable knob has a notch 21 which is adapted to ride over the lever end 19 and force it downwardly toward the axle center of the shaft 11 and thus swing said latch 16 on its pivot 17.

The latch coacts with a quadrant plate 22 which is provided with a plurality of notches 23 into which the latch is adapted to seat. The notches are arranged in different positions and they are identified by the letters N for normal position, 0 for open door, S for stop, L for left turn and R for right turn. Thus, to operate the signal the knoblQ'is pressed on the shaft 11, and the engagement of the knob with the lever 19 releases the latch from one of the notches 23. Then the shaft may be turned by turning the knob, and of course the signal arm is thus swung outwardly through the open door of the housing. The latch may be dropped into a notch, as the notch S, to hold the signal in the stop position. To release the displayed signal and return it to retracted position, the knob is again pressed At the inner or along the shaft 11 to release the latch 16, and then the signal may be returned to retracted position within the box.

The door 2 is normally held released, but is opened previous to the swinging movement of the signal as the latter is swung to dis played position. For this purpose 1 provide the shaft 11 with a pin 24 that projects through a slot 25 in one end of the sleeve 10, and this pin has a limited movement in the slot, as indicated in Fig. 4c. The shaft 11 also has a radially extending crank rod 26 and this rod is designed to coact with the door bolt 27 that has a head 28 at one end for engagement with the rod 26, and at the other end this door bolt has a roller 29 for rolling contact witn the inside of the face of the door so that the latter may swing open against the tension of the spring hinges 3 of the door. Of course, after the door is released and the signal is returned to its box, the spring hinges 3 close the door.

The door opening device is spring-returned, and for this purpose the bolt 27 passes through a casing locked within the box and fastened to one of its walls A spring 31 within the casing bears against a head 32 on the bolt 2'? and also against one end of the casing 30, and it will be apparentthat this spring is designed to plunge the bolt for the purpose of opening the door. Thus, when the signal is to be o ')erated, the door is opened prior to the initial movement of the signal so that the signal will have a free space to swing through to displayed position, and of course the signal swings back into the box before the lid can be closed.

Asthe signal is swung to displayed position. the signal hand may be illuminated for 1. The combination with a signal box havt ing a spring-pressed hinged door, of a signal arm, a shaft for said arm, a movable knob on the shaft, and a locking latch for said shaft,

means whereby the knob may be moved to re lease the shaft, a door opening device, and connections from said shaft whereby said device maybe operated prior to the initial n'iovenient of the signal.

2. The combination with a rotatable signal with its rotary shaft, of a slidable springpressed knob on the end of the shaft, a quadrant having notches therein, a latch pivoted on the shaft and designed to engage a selected not-ch, a spring pressed lever end on said. latch and means on the knob for co-acting with said lever end whereby the knob may be moved to release the latch from a notch.

3. The combination with a signal arm adapted to be swung to displayed position with the operating shaft of said arm, of a housing for the signal and a spring-hinged door for the housing, a spring-pressed door bolt having an end roller for engagingthe door, and a crank rod on said shaft forengaging the door bolt for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ROLLA G. HARBURD.

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